Detachable firearm magazine springs formed from wire having non-round cross section

ABSTRACT

Springs formed from non-round wire stock for a detachable magazine for a firearm are disclosed. A detachable magazine may have a body having a base, an ammunition follower positioned within the body, and a spring formed from wire having a non-round cross-section positioned between the body and the follower. The non-round wire provides a shorter compression height for the spring when compared to traditional round wire springs currently used in detachable firearm magazines.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/108,374 entitled “DETACHABLE FIREARM MAGAZINE SPRINGS FORMED FROM WIRE HAVING NON-ROUND CROSS SECTION” and filed on Dec. 17, 2013 for Alan Dugger, which is incorporated herein by reference, and this application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/751,732, entitled DETACHABLE FIREARM MAGAZINES WITH COMPRESSION SPRINGS FORMED FROM WIRE HAVING NON-ROUND CROSS SECTION, filed on Jan. 11, 2013, which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

This application relates generally to ammunition feed magazines for firearms. More particularly, this application relates to compression springs formed from wire having a non-round cross-section in detachable ammunition feed magazines for increased spring life and reliability.

BACKGROUND

Magazine springs in for use in detachable magazines for fully and semi-automatic rifles and pistols are currently wound from round wire stock. For example, a typical magazine for a model 1911 pistol (U.S. Pat. No. 984,519) is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The prior art magazine 10 has a round wire magazine spring 20 within body 11. The magazine follower 14 keeps the magazine spring 20 from exiting the top 13 of the magazine 10, where cartridges are introduces and fed into the firearm. The base 12 is removable, allowing the spring 20 to be replaced. Generally, a magazine spring is designed to apply the proper amount of force (load) to the magazine follower to present cartridges at the proper height, angle, and timing to facilitate the reliable charging of multiple rounds. The amount of force required to provide and properly maintain reliable feeding is based on the wire size and number of coils in the magazine. The goal of loading as many rounds as possible into a magazine often becomes problematic because of the limitations imposed by the height of the compressed spring within the body of the magazine.

The quest to achieve this goal frequently results in the over compression of the spring, with the resultant induced stresses shortening the life of the spring, thus necessitating replacement. It is common practice for contemporary military operators to load their magazines to a level less than the design capacity of the magazine to preserve the duty cycle of the spring for enhanced reliability. Once over stressed, the springs lose their ability to apply sufficient force to the magazine follower, resulting in feeding malfunctions. Detachable magazine springs wound from either single wire round strand or multiple strand round wire stock material all suffer from the same dimensional limitations imposed by the stacked height of the coils in the magazine, thus yielding reduced magazine capacity and/or limited duty cycle of the spring.

SUMMARY

Springs formed from non-round wire stock for a detachable magazine for a firearm are disclosed. A detachable magazine may have a body having a base, an ammunition follower positioned within the body, and a spring formed from wire having a non-round cross-section positioned between the body and the follower. The non-round wire provides a shorter compression height for the spring when compared to traditional round wire springs currently used in detachable firearm magazines. In some embodiments, the detachable magazine may be designed to hold pistol cartridges or rifle cartridges.

In some embodiments, the non-round cross-section may be generally rectangular such that the wire has a height and a width. The spring may maintain the width generally perpendicular to the axis of compression of the spring, and the ratio between the width a and the height b is between about 1 and about 10, and in some embodiments between about 2 and 3. The spring may have any suitable shape for an ammunition magazine, such as a rounded rectangle coil shape, a round coil shape, or an elliptical coil shape, or any other suitable shape. The spring may also have any number of coils and length depending on the detachable magazine the spring is intended to be used with. Similarly, a second spring formed from wire having a non-round cross-section may be positioned within the body between the base and the follower.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1-2 are views of a prior art ammunition magazine with a round wire spring;

FIGS. 3-6 are various views of an exemplary ammunition magazine spring having a non-round wire cross section and a generally rounded rectangle coil shape;

FIGS. 7-10 are various views of an exemplary ammunition magazine spring having a non-round wire cross section and a round coil shape; and

FIGS. 11-14 are various views of an exemplary ammunition magazine spring having a non-round wire cross section and a generally oval coil shape.

Together with the following description, the Figures demonstrate and explain the principles of exemplary detachable ammunition magazine springs and associated methods of making and using them. In the Figures, the size and relative placement of components and regions of illustrated devices may be exaggerated or modified for clarity. The same reference numerals in different drawings represent the same element, and thus their descriptions may not be repeated. Some drawings may omit certain components not necessary for describing the illustrated embodiments, but which would be known to those of ordinary skill in the art to be present in and with detachable magazines for feeding ammunition in firearms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually inclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

As used herein, a list with a conjunction of “and/or” includes any single item in the list or a combination of items in the list. For example, a list of A, B and/or C includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C. As used herein, a list using the terminology “one or more of” includes any single item in the list or a combination of items in the list. For example, one or more of A, B and C includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C. As used herein, a list using the terminology “one of includes one and only one of any single item in the list. For example, “one of A, B and C” includes only A, only B or only C and excludes combinations of A, B and C. As used herein, “a member selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C,” includes one and only one of A, B, or C, and excludes combinations of A, B, and C.” As used herein, “a member selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C and combinations thereof” includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C.

As in the illustrated embodiments, aspects and features of detachable magazines for firearms with compression springs formed from wire having a non-round cross-section and associated methods of making and using them are disclosed and described below. The following description supplies specific details in order to provide a thorough understanding. Nevertheless, the skilled artisan would understand that the apparatus and associated methods of using the apparatus can be implemented and used without employing these specific details. Indeed, the devices and associated methods can be placed into practice by modifying the illustrated devices and associated methods and can be used in conjunction with any other apparatus and techniques conventionally used in the industry. For example, while this description focuses on magazines having a single spring, embodiments employing the principles described herein may be used on or with any variety of weapons and detachable magazine designs for those weapons.

Conventionally, round sectional wire is shaped to form a spring shape for use in firearms magazines. The coils of the springs may be shaped to suit the cross sectional needs (to fit within a rectangular shape thickness and width) necessary for proper use in various shapes and sizes of ammunition magazines. Shaping may be achieved by multiple means known to the industry to achieve the results. However, traditionally, this is only done for round stock wire, as shaping a non-rounded wire is very difficult.

Some advantages of using non-round wire are demonstrated in the following example. When using a semi-rectangular profile of wire (such as is as shown in FIGS. 3-12) instead of a round wire spring, the resulting semi-rectangular spring having the same strength may up to 50% of the thickness when compressed of a round wire spring of the same number of coils. As such, the semi-rectangular wire spring may also have the ability to be compressed to the full capacity of the magazine with greatly reduced and sometimes eliminated stress characteristics that generally limit the long term durability and performance of traditional round wire springs.

Additionally, in some embodiments, fewer coils may be required with non-round wire geometry. For example, a non-round wire having about the same thickness as a traditional round wire may only require seven instead of ten coils to provide the force necessary to properly feed ammunition to a firearm from a magazine. With only seven coils instead of ten, the compressed height of the coil will be less than the compressed height of the traditional coil, thereby allowing for less compression, and thereby less materials stress, and possibly increased ammunition capacity. Of course, various magazine spring designs include springs having a wide number of coils using traditional round wire. In each instance, a non-round wire, as taught herein, may provide the advantages of a smaller compressed spring height while providing the same spring strength as a traditional round wire coil spring using in ammunition magazines.

As shown in FIGS. 2-6, (and generally applicable to FIGS. 7-14) magazine springs 100 may have semi-rectangular shaped wire 110, which may include a slight radii on the outer perimeters of the wider a dimension and the thinner b dimension to lessen point stresses on the outer corners of the wire. With this non-round profile, the same or greater amount of stored energy may be retained in the rectangular (flattened) shaped wire 110. Additionally, the height of each coil may be up to about 50% less than a similar strength round wire coil (represented by b), which also translates to a much less overall height of the spring 100 when fully compressed as compared to a comparable strength round wire spring, which may result in significant reduction or elimination of stresses in the spring material when deflected (compressed). This reduction of stress may provide a much longer service life for the magazine spring 100 over traditional magazine springs. In some embodiments, the ratio of the dimensions a/b may be between about 1 to about 10, the ratio being approximately 2 in FIG. 8 and approximately 2.7 in FIG. 4.

In operation, spring 100 when under deflection may also exhibit a highly reduced propensity to buckle from side to side while being compressed. Round wire magazine springs naturally buckle under deflection, which causes increased friction between the mating surfaces of the spring and magazine body. Additionally, as coils of a spring touch, the spring loses a portion of its strength. The friction between the mating surfaces and loss of strength also results in a distinct hesitation caused by the buckling axis shift of the round wire spring which inhibits the consistent presentation of the cartridges at the proper angle for reliable feeding from the magazine.

In some embodiments, a larger dimension of the semi rectangular wire 110 when wound/formed on the a dimension may also provide superior support to the base of any magazine follower used, which may greatly reduce commonly encountered malfunctions caused from “follower tilt” of the magazine follower (improper feeding angle presentation) for the reliable feeding of the remaining cartridges in the magazine.

In order to form a non-round wire stock into a magazine spring 100 as shown in the figures, complex holding and forming computer-aided machine technology is required. This technology is relatively new but will be known to one of ordinary skill of machining springs. The application of this technology to spring manufacturing equipment is new, expensive, and has not been utilized before to create springs as shown in FIGS. 2-14, particularly for detachable magazines for firearms, where the longer a dimension is generally maintained in a perpendicular to the compression axis of the magazine spring 100,200, 300.

As shown in the Figures, magazine springs according to various embodiments, may be formed in any shape used with detachable firearm magazines. For example, FIGS. 2-6 show a generally rounded rectangle coil shape 100, as best shown in FIG. 5, with a semi-rectangular wire shape 110, as best shown in FIG. 4. Such a design may be used with the model 1911 magazine 10 of FIG. 1, or other similar magazines.

In other embodiments, some detachable ammunition magazines may use one or more round coil shaped springs 200, such as those shown in FIGS. 7-10, or generally elliptical shaped coil springs 300, as shown in FIGS. 11-14. In particular, the wire shape 210 of both round coil shape 200 and generally elliptical coil shape 300 (or any other coil shape) may be non-round such as is shown in FIG. 8. In any configuration, the non-round wire may provide the same or similar advantages as those discussed above over traditional round wire springs.

In some embodiments, non-round springs may be used in other firearms applications where repeated full spring compression may be a problem. Additionally, the non-round springs may have any number of coils or be of any length, depending on the conventional spring the non-round spring will replace. In other embodiments, particularly with regards to high-capacity magazines, the use of the non-round spring may allow for additional ammunition capacity in the same sized magazine as a traditional wire spring would allow, or for which the magazine was originally designed. Additionally, the use of non-round springs may also provide additional advantageous design parameters for new magazine designs to allow more ammunition in a more compact magazine design. Furthermore, the non-round springs may also allow for a shorter compressed spring height, whether by fewer coils or by shorter cross-sectional height of each coil.

While the cross-sections shown tend to have rounded edges, in some embodiments, the non-round wire used to manufacture magazine springs may be a generally square, rectangular, flat, ovoid, or other non-round shape, where the larger cross-sectional dimension is generally perpendicular to the axis of compression of the spring.

In addition to any previously indicated modification, numerous other variations and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this description, and appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the information has been described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred aspects, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, form, function, manner of operation and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein. Also, as used herein, examples are meant to be illustrative only and should not be construed to be limiting in any manner. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A detachable magazine for a firearm, comprising: a body having a base; an ammunition follower positioned within body; and a spring formed from wire having a non-round cross-section positioned within the body between the base and the follower.
 2. The detachable magazine of claim 1, wherein the detachable magazine is designed to hold pistol cartridges.
 3. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 1, wherein the detachable magazine is designed to hold rifle cartridges.
 4. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 1, further comprising a second spring formed from wire having a non-round cross-section positioned within the body between the base and the follower.
 5. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 1, wherein the non-round cross-section is generally rectangular such that the wire has a height and a width.
 6. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 5, wherein the spring maintains the width generally perpendicular to the axis of compression of the spring.
 7. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 5, wherein the ratio between the width a and the height b is between about 1 and about
 10. 8. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 7, wherein the ratio between the width a and the height b is between about 2 and about
 3. 9. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 1, wherein the spring has a rounded rectangle coil shape.
 10. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 1, wherein the spring has a round coil shape.
 11. The detachable magazine for a firearm of claim 1, wherein the spring has an elliptical coil shape.
 12. A spring for a detachable magazine for a firearm, comprising: a plurality of coils, each of the plurality of coils having a non-round coil shape and a uniform size, where the wire has a non-round cross-section and comprises a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces having a height, and a top surface and a bottom surface that are parallel and have a width, where a transition between either of the pair of substantially parallel side surfaces and either of the top surface or the bottom surface comprises a surface defined by a radius, where the width is greater than the height, and where the width is oriented generally perpendicular to an axis of compression of the compression spring.
 13. The spring of claim 12, where the detachable magazine is designed to hold pistol cartridges.
 14. The spring of claim 12, where the detachable magazine is designed to hold rifle cartridges.
 15. The spring of claim 12, where a ratio between the width and the height is between about 1 and about
 10. 16. The spring of claim 15, where the ratio between the width and the height is between about 2 and about
 3. 17. The spring of claim 12, where the spring has a rounded rectangle coil shape.
 18. The spring of claim 12, where the spring has an oval coil shape.
 19. The spring of claim 12, where the spring has an elliptical coil shape. 